Thread by @ashtonpittman

THREAD: National media has spilled so much ink on evangelicals, they forgot America's religious left heritage.

The abolitionist movement was a religious left one. What do you think "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord" was about?

But let's continue... 1/

How can you not know that the Civil Rights Movement movement was nurtured, orchestrated, and educated in black churches? That white religious ministers died marching?

Or that vital community organizing around civil rights & justice still goes on in black churches today? 2/

How can you not know that two Jewish boys from up north, Michael Schwerner & Andrew Goodman, died alongside James Chaney in Philadelphia, Mississippi while fighting for civil rights—a movement that many Jewish leaders embraced as part of their religious values? 3/

How can you not know LGBT religious leaders—including right here in Mississippi!—were and are some of the lead voices in the struggle for equality (which is still ongoing)? Pastor Brandiilyne Mangum-Dear is by far one of the most visible LGBT rights leaders in Mississippi. 4/

Here's how so much national media misses it and thinks there is no significant "religious left movement."

National media typically covers politics, social movements, & religion from the top down, not the ground up. Religion from above, not below. That's easier. 5/

Wheras the religious right seeks to wield its influence by dominating from the top (especially the White House and halls of Congress), the religious left is and always has been a ground-level movement, building influence from many on the ground level with common cause. 6/

The Christian right, on the other hand, has long been driven by a few loud voices (mostly white men) that filter down into congregations, and those voices tell them their identity is under attack and to elect people who will center respect for white evangelical Christians. 7/

The Christian left doesn't operate that way. When the Christian left is active in political or social organizing, the "Christian" part is often implied by values, not trumpeted, and leaders (as far as you can identify them) don't demand recognition & control as their end goal. 8/

The religious values are typically implied in the work they do, but the religious left doesn't do that work to further the religion; they see themselves as furthering its values, and they aren't nearly as concerned with whether or not the religion itself is recognized. 9/

The Christian left is less obvious, too, because unlike the right, they don't frame opposition as "an attack on Christianity!" (Nor that they alone have rights to the name).

And they don't frame elections as referendums on "Christianity" (meaning theirs) vs. the world. 9/

The Christian left's goal isn't to supplant government with religion; it's usually about furthering their religon's values thru civil rights, helping the sick, poor, immigrants, prisoners, etc. The vehicle to do so doesn't have to be religious.

The Christian right, though... 10/

The Christian right actively wants to install leaders who will increase their religion's power and dominance in government and in law. Example: It's why you see them erect Ten Commandment monuments in court houses (the Christian left has no interest in that kind of stuff). 11/

So while you often see Christian right leaders wind up at the pinnacles of power (or near, à la Roy Moore), you don't with the left, bc that isn't the goal. And even when they do ascend to power, you might miss it, bc they don't talk trumpet their faith constantly. 12/

That doesn't mean the Christian left isn't significant or effective. Its effects just aren't as obviously tied to it, & it doesn't tend to make capturing the White House with one of its own acolytes a goal (electing ppl w/similar values matters more than shared religion). 13/

If you don't think the Christian left is real, go to a US immigrants rights group's meeting. You'll often find priests & other Xian devotees in their ranks. You'll also find people who are driven to stand up for immigrants by deep religious convictions they rarely speak of. 14/

Once you stop judging the significance and size of religious social movements by how powerful an office and grand a stage their leaders have obtained, and by how loudly their adherents proclaim that faith instead of the work they do, you'll discover you've missed *a lot.* 15•